Childcare and early years

Find out what childcare funding and financial support may be available for your family.

Help with childcare costs

Depending on how old your child is, you may be able to access between 15 and 30 hours government funded childcare. The help you can get also depends on whether you are working or receiving certain benefits.

15 and 30 hours childcare support

Below you can find details of the free childcare schemes. Each scheme has different eligibility rules so it’s important to check which is is right for you.

30 hours childcare - for eligible working families in England with children aged 9 months to 4 years

15 hours childcare for all children aged 3 to 4 years

15 hours for 2-year-olds receiving support

30 hours free childcare for foster children

Help paying for childcare

In addition to the free early education there are other sources of help.  You may also be eligible for help from government childcare schemes.

Tax-free childcare

Working parents can get up to £2,000 government support per child per year

Universal credit childcare

You may be able to claim up to 85% of your childcare costs

Childcare support while you study

Extra financial support for students

Childcare calculator

Visit the Best Start in Life website to use their childcare calculator to find out which scheme would benefit you the most and get an estimate of how much help you could get with your childcare costs.

Finding childcare

Finding the right childcare for your child is really important. You can find details about the different types of childcare by searching providers in our Childcare Directory.

If you cannot find what you are looking for or need some advice or support, please contact: Family Information Service.